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Black Day in sports history, says boxer Vijender Singh after Sakshi Malik quits

Dec 22, 2023 04:32 PM IST

Singh said that everyone is scared of speaking up as they come from lower-middle-class families and mostly from BJP-ruled states of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Rajasthan where they will be “slapped” with a “code of conduct misdemeanour”

New Delhi: Olympic gold medallist boxer and politician Vijender Singh expressed his anguish and called it a “black day” in the history of sports after Sakhi Malik’s announced retirement from wrestling after Sanjay Singh, a close associate of former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) head and sexual harassment accused Brij Bhushan Singh, was elected as the next WFI chief.

Olympic Medalist Boxer Vijender Singh addressed the media with Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala in New Delhi on Friday (Twitter Photo)
Olympic Medalist Boxer Vijender Singh addressed the media with Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala in New Delhi on Friday (Twitter Photo)

“The sports industry is upset with it. We will go to every player, every stadium, and every ‘akhada’ and speak to them about women’s safety, the employment of the athletes, and we will stand with them” Vijender, also a Congress leader, said during a press conference with Congress MP Randeep Surjewala in New Delhi on Friday.

Olympic medal winner and celebrated wrestler Malik declared her retirement in a press conference on Thursday after Sanjay was elected as the federation’s president along with his panel. In a press conference, the champion wrestler put her shoe on the table to show her protest and later cried on camera.

Singh speaking to ANI said, “Being a player, I can understand her pain. The only female medalist in wrestling demanded justice, but she did not get it. Pained by this, she retired. The whole sports industry is disappointed. After this, would the parents send their daughters to the stadium? The PM, Vice President, and President all should come and answer why this happened.”

Also Read: ‘Girls will be harassed again’: Sakshi Malik retires as Brij Bhushan associate wins WFI polls

Speaking on the silence of sportspersons, Singh said that everyone is scared of speaking up as they come from lower-middle-class families and mostly from BJP-ruled states of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Rajasthan where they will be “slapped” with a “code of conduct misdemeanour” which will prevent them for participating in competitions.

Speaking about the silence of Indian cricketers over the issue, he said, “They never talk about important topics but they will get Rajya Sabha seats first. Choose your role models wisely, not the person who gets the most media coverage, instead the person who stands with you in your woes.”

Surjewala highlighted the “silence” of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) concerning the wrestler’s retirement in protest against Sanjay’s victory. He noted a troubling trend of “fear and force” becoming prevalent in India. Surjewala urged BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah to address this issue.

Surjewala said that the wrestlers moved the parliament, the PM, the home minister, and the sports minister and appealed for “justice for India’s daughters” but the movement was “trampled upon by the boots of the Delhi police and egged on by its master, the BJP”.

Surjewala’s statement was about the April incident when Delhi Police filed two cases, documenting approximately 15 instances of sexual harassment against BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who led the WFI at the time following complaints from multiple women wrestlers.

Malik and many other elite wrestlers had in May this year launched a massive protest seeking action against Brij Bhushan for allegedly sexually harassing women wrestlers. After several weeks, the Delhi Police ended their protest at Jantar Mantar.

Surjewala pointed out, “The Modi government could not find a single woman wrestler to head the federation. This injustice is not just limited to Sakshi Malik, it has shattered the dreams of millions of Indian girls.”

“Every single sports federation including the BCCI is under the influence of BJP leaders,” he alleged and questioned the Centre’s silence on the issue.

Speaking to HT, Surjewala commented, “We need to ensure that the sports federations are rid of the control of politicians who have nothing to do with sports.”

“The President of India, the speaker of Lok Sabha, and the chairperson of the Rajya Sabha need to speak for the daughters of farmers and the way they have been insulted. If we do not speak up now then this is perhaps the beginning of the end of sports in this country,” he further said.

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